MLB Player News

Brad Ausmus is considering using 2014 Tigers surprise J.D. Martinez at designated hitter next season if Victor Martinez flies the coop in free agency.

"It's possible," Ausmus told the Detroit News. "We're certainly hoping something works out with Victor, but we have talked about that, about using J.D. there depending on how things shake out."

Martinez was used primarily in left field this year.

"I don't think you'd have to stick him at DH and never take him out or not use him in the outfield," Ausmus added. "Really, at that age -- Martinez is 27 -- I don't think I'd want to pigeon-hole him at DH."

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera underwent right ankle surgery to remove bone spurs and to repair a stress fracture in a bone at the top of his foot on Wednesday, the team announced on Friday, per MLB.com. Cabrera, who was plagued by the injury throughout the season, batted .313 with 25 homers and 109 RBI over 611 at-bats. Cabrera is expected to be re-evaluated in three months.

The Royals added third baseman Jayson Nix to their World Series roster, replacing infielder Christian Colon. Nix got 83 at-bats during the regular season, batting .120 with a homer and four RBI.

Tigers general manager and president Dave Dombrowski believes the large bone spur in the right ankle of slugger Miguel Cabrera might not require surgery, per MLB.com.

"Is it a possibility? I'd say it is a possibility," Dombrowski said. "I don't know if it's going to happen or not. Sure. There's a spur in there, and people that have looked at him so far tell me that it has to be removed. It's a relatively easy - for them - procedure. But I don't want to draw any conclusions yet, because he's not done with that whole process."

Cabrera performed better down the stretch despite an ankle ailment that plagued him throughout the year. He won American League Player of he Year honors in September by batting .379 with eight home runs and 18 RBI.

Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said Tuesday first baseman Miguel Cabrera could undergo ankle surgery in the offseason, per MLB.com. Cabrera was bothered by bone spurs in his right ankle during the second half of the season.

"I'd say [surgery] is a possibility. I don't know if it's going to happen," Dombrowski said. "There's a spur in there, and people tell me if it has to be removed, it is for them a relatively simple procedure."

Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez went 1 for 4 with a three-run home run in his team's 7-6 loss to the Orioles in Game 2 of the American League Division Series.

Martinez has opened up the ALDS with home runs in back-to-back games, but the Tigers still find themselves down 2-0 going into Sunday's Game 3 in Detroit. The outfielder came up with runners on the corners in the fourth and deposited the ball over the left-field fence, and his blast was followed by another by the next batter to put the Tigers up 5-2. His home runs are his only two hits in eight at-bats during the series.

Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said Brad Miller's strong finish to the season means there is no clear-cut favorite for the starting shortstop job heading into spring training, according to MLB.com. Miller is expected to compete with Chris Taylor for the starting job next season.

"That's a great question and I don't know if I really have the answer right now," McClendon said. "I thought Taylor played extremely well defensively. I'm still intrigued about what Miller is capable of doing from an offensive standpoint. I guess to answer your question, yeah, it's probably wide open."

Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington told MLB.com the team plans to discuss a contract extension with outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, who hit .260 with 22 homers and 100 RBI. Cespedes is owed $10.5 million next season, the final year of his contract.

The Royals activated infielder Christian Colon from the 15-day disabled list Sunday, and he is active for the team's regular-season finale against the White Sox.

Indians outfielder Michael Brantley registered his 200th hit of the season Saturday night against the Rays. He singled in the fourth inning for his only hit of the night. He finished 1 for 4 in a 2-0 defeat.

Brantley had never collected more than 159 hits in a season until 2014. He is hitting .327 with 20 homers and 97 RBI over 611 at-bats.